One Vikings Mystery in Week 8 May Go All the Way to Kickoff
Right tackle Brian O’Neill returned to the Minnesota Vikings’ starting lineup somewhat unexpectedly last weekend after injuring his MCL in Dublin. Now, he’s the subject of a Week 8 mystery — whether he’ll play or sit.
The Minnesota Vikings are never short on storylines, and this week, one man’s status may not be known until Thursday night at Los Angeles.
O’Neill hasn’t practiced on Monday or Tuesday, casting doubt on his availability for the showdown against the Chargers in Los Angeles.
Vikings RT Brian O’Neill Logging DNPs at Practice
O’Neill showed up in Week 7 — and balled out.
It’s a Waiting Game on Brian O’Neill’s Status
For a second consecutive day, although Monday’s event was rather unofficial, O’Neill didn’t practice. Minnesota listed his knee as the culprit, which checks out because he sprained the MCL a few weeks ago.
Vikings.com‘s Craig Peters noted on the injury report, on the whole: “The quick turnaround is in progress as the Vikings (3-3) prepare to visit the Chargers (4-3) to open Week 8 on Thursday Night Football. Monday marked the first of three consecutive days of publishing a practice report.”
“Neither team practiced on the day after their Week 7 games, so participation levels are estimates. Injury reports will be published Tuesday and Wednesday this week, with game designations being declared Wednesday.”
Contingency Plan if No O’Neill
Because O’Neill played — wonderfully — against the Eagles, while not appearing to suffer an injury setback, most onlookers assumed O’Neill was “back” and no longer a weekly injury report concern.
That was wrong.
If O’Neill cannot play on Thursday, Kevin O’Connell and friends would pivot to a familiar reserve tackle, Justin Skule. The 2025 free-agent addition has seen ample action this year, first when Christian Darrisaw wasn’t ready for the first couple of games and next when O’Neill sprained his knee.
Skule has a 58.9 Pro Football Focus grade through seven weeks, specializing more in clearing lanes for running backs while lagging a bit in pass protection. So far this year, he’s the Garrett Bradbury of offensive tackles.
A Would-Be Stepback for OL
Minus Ryan Kelly, the team’s starting center, who may not return at all in 2025 or beyond, the Vikings’ offensive line was just inching toward full health. The first handful of games brought a comedic slew of injuries, and the trenches were the most affected.
Last week, though, because O’Neill healed in time, Minnesota trotted this fivesome out versus the Eagles:
— Christian Darrisaw
— Donovan Jackson
— Blake Brandel
— Will Fries
— Brian O’Neill
Depending on O’Neill’s status — the DNPs are alarming — and the center uncertainty, the offensive line could, in theory, look like this at the Chargers:
— Christian Darrisaw
— Donovan Jackson
— Michael Jurgens
— Will Fries
— Justin Skule
Through six games, there’s always something wrong health-wise with Minnesota’s OL.
Wednesday Clues, Too
Thankfully, O’Neill has one day to log a practice, whether in a limited or full capacity. It’s the litmus test, so to speak, for his Week 8 availability.
A safe rule of thumb? If O’Neill practices at all on Wednesday, he’ll probably trend to play on Thursday Night Football. Another DNP would tip the scales in Skule’s favor.
SI.com on O’Neill
Tony Liebert at SI.com noted on O’Neill this week, “O’Neil being listed as a DNP for the second straight day is interesting because he played all 69 offensive snaps for the Vikings on Sunday against the Eagles.”
“After suffering a sprained MCL in Week 4, it was his first time back on the field. Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings have not made any comments on O’Neil’s status, but it’s worth keeping an eye on. With only three full days of practice between Sunday’s game and Thursday’s game in Los Angeles against the Chargers, the Vikings could be taking a cautious approach.”
The Chargers are expected to beat the Vikings by three or four points, according to oddsmakers.
Liebert continued, “O’Neill had an impressive 72.6 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade against Philadelphia’s stout defensive line, so they could just be looking at every opportunity for added rest. Wednesday’s injury report will likely tell us a lot about O’Neill’s status ahead of Thursday night’s game. If he’s not able to go, Minnesota will likely deploy either Walter Rouse or Justin Skule at the right tackle position against the Chargers.”
“The Vikings have dealt with offensive line injuries all season, and this week is no different. Christian Darrisaw (LT), Donovan Jackson (LG), and Will Fries (RG) are all in line to start, and Ryan Kelly remains on injured reserve after multiple concussions.”
Minnesota hasn’t won a primetime Thursday night game on the road since the 1970s.
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